Antenna mounting article



oct; 24, 1967 Filed July 22, 1964 T. J. WRIGHT ANTENNA MOUNT ING ARTICLE INVENTOI? THOMAS J WIGHT Ym @7M fw emga.

Oct. 24, 1967 T. J. WR'IGHT 3,349,405

ANTENNA MOUNTING ARTICLE Filed July 22, 1964 VII/IIA VI EL 8 /90d 98 E' -95 98 /ll/l/l/l//ll/fr Iliff/11111 l 94 100 l INVENTOR THOMAS J. WRIGHT dlttys.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,349,405 ANTENNA MOUNTING ARTICLE Thomas J. Wright, Itasca, Ill., assignor to Bel-Tronics Corporation, Addison, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,374 3 Claims. (Cl. 343-702) The present invention relates to an antenna mounting member; more particularly the invention relates to such a mounting member which secures and protects the antenna both during the manufacture and the use of the antenna, use being understood to mean assembly of the antenna to a chassis; and, which further provides a means for readily securing the antenna to radio receiving equipment.

Presently known antennas used widely in small radios, such as so-called transistor radios, comprise wire coils helically wound upon rod shaped ferrite cores, which cores are generally quite fragile. After the wires are Wound on the core, the antennas are coated with wax. The antennas thus formed are secured in various manners to panel boards containing the other electronic components and circuits of the radio. In many instances, the practice has been to mount the antenna Wherever it can be tted after the balance of the electronic equipment has been positioned.

In the process of making and using such prior known ferrite core antennas it has been found that there has been substantial loss due to core breakage, and puncture or fracture of the wax coating, and fracture or fraying of the wire coil, and detuning the coil due to shifting the Wound wire on the core. In many instances, deterioration of parts has resulted in excessive Waste of finished antennas before and during installation.

The present invention avoids the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a plastic extruded member which may be cut into suitable lengths to accommodate diierent lengths of ferrite core antennas including the coil and the wax coating thereupon. The arrangement is such that it is possible after the Wax coating is applied, to insert the antenna into a plastic mounting member of the invention and to make the necessary terminal connections suitable for fitting the antenna to the radio chassis which may include a panel or peg board.

The present invention is characterized by an elongated plastic extrusion, preferably of polypropylene or the like, in suitable basic colors. The colors may be further used to identify, or code, particular windings and/or other characteristics of a particular antenna secured within the improved mounting member therefor.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting is substantially C-shaped at its one or upper end and is connected from its center or bight portion and at its other end to an integrally-formed, inverted U- shaped base having a pair of legs which extend the full length of the mounting member. The base legs are adapted to receive, by suitable clip means to be explained more fully below, terminals which can peg or be inserted into the chassis or panel board of the radio equipment. The C-shaped upper end of the mounting is sufficiently resilient to permit the upper end to flex open so that a ferrite core may be inserted therein; further, the C- shaped upper end is suiiciently rigid to hold the core in position once it is inserted therein. The core can, if desired, be afxed to the mounting member as by cementing or heat sealing, to permit the processing or handling the core and antenna through the several steps of manufacture and packaging as well as during the transporting of the core and antenna to the location of a final assembly in the associated radio equipment.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention lCC to provide an improved mounting member for facilitating the fabrication of the antenna.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting member for supporting and mounting an antenna having a ferrite core on radio equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method for manufacturing ferrite core antennas with mounting members associated therewith.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved ferrite core antenna including mounting member means therefor to facilitate the construction and handling of the antenna.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be either obvious or pointed out in the following specification and claims as read in View of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting member for a ferrite core antenna according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a mounting member of FIG. 1, showing the antenna in position as Well as the antenna electrical connections;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a modification of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the mounting member of FIG. 3, showing a ferrite core in position as well as the antenna electrical connections;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional end view of another modification of an antenna according to the invention showing an alternate structure for mounting the antenna;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional end view showing another alternate structure for mounting the antenna;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an extruded housing piece shown as it is extruded and before it is formed into shape for receiving an antenna;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the housing piece of FIG. 8 folded into a form for securing an antenna having a generally elongated core having a rectangular cross section;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional end view of the housing similar to that shown in FIG. 9 but extruded in final shape;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional end view of a further modiiication of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, a section of an extrusion made of suitable polypropylene, for example, is shown as cut of at one end 16 and at an opposite end 18 to form a housing 15 of predetermined length. It is preferred that the length of the housing 1S be slightly in excess of the overall length of the ferrite core antennas to be inserted therein to protect the ends of the antennas. Stock extrusions are conveniently supplied in 10 foot lengths, and are cut off as desired into shorter lengths, For example, certain antennas are only two or three inches long and, accordingly, a 10- foot length of extruded stock will supply three to ve dozen housings.

Although the details of construction of ferrite core antennas are not, per se, part of the invention, briey, such antennas are usually helically wound with suitable gauge wire as one or more helices in multiple layers upon an elongated core of sintered ferrite; and the core and coil are coated with wax during and/or after winding.

After the antennas are wound, it is desirable that these fragile antennas be placed into a suitable housing for further processing and handling. Accordingly, the C- shaped housing 15 is conveniently formed with an upper end 20 (as oriented in FIG. l) a bight or arc portion 31, and a lower end 30. The lower end 30 of the C-shaped housing 1S is joined integrally by a common web portion 28 to an inverted U-shaped part 22 having left and righthand legs 24 and 26 respectively which are employed to mount the housing on the radio chassis or panel board.

The common web 28 extends the entire length of the extrusion. The C-shape of housing 15 comprises, in cross section, substantially three-quarters of a circular envelope, and the lower end 30 of the housing 15 forms a raised elongated ridge 30A. The interior surface 31A of the bight portion 31 forms a portion of a circular housing approximately the same dimension as the dimeter of the core to be mounted in housing 15. The ridge 30A, the legs 24 and 26, the common web 28, the bight portion 31 and the upper end of the C-shaped housing 15 form a flanged beam type structure.

It is preferred that the web portion 28, the legs 24, 26 and the upper end 20 of the C-shaped housing 15 be of sufficient rigidity to support and frictionally retain the antenna in position in the interior surface 31A of the housing. Moreover, the upper end 20 of the C-shaped housing 15 has sufficient fiexibility to permit it to be liexed open to receive the antenna to be mounted in the housing 15. The opening of the C-shaped housing 15, that is, the spacing between the tip of the upper end 20 and the ridge 30A is arranged to be less than the diameter of the antenna core to be received in the housing 15. This attribute is also attained in other modifications to be described below.

A suitable number of clips 32 are fastened as by staples 34 (see FIG. 2), into sides of the legs 24 and 26 of the inverted U-shaped part 22 of the housing 15, as best shown in FIG 2. The winding or coil 38 or core 36 may terminate in two or more lead wires (one of which wires is indicated at 40). Depending upon the usage to which the antenna is to be put the wires 40 may be soldered at point 42 to respective clips 32.

For transformer function, four lead wires may be used. For this purpose, it is to be noted from FIG. 1, four connector clips 32 can conveniently provide the four terminals of a simple transformer. The clips 32 may frictionally extend through holes 44 in a peg board 45 which may be of a printed circuit type, or the like, to thereby complete contacts with suitable circuitry, not shown. As an alternate structure, the ends 46 of the clips 32 may be suitably extended to receive soldered connections. An advantage of this latter construction is that when soldering is being done, possible overheating of the other portions of a printed circuit is prevented.

Note, of course, that the application of the invention is not limited to printed circuit boards, but is also applicable for ready installation into any part of radio chassis, such as by providing suitable attaching means such as clips 32.

A further advantage of the invention is that the inverted U-shaped portion 22 of the housing 15 provides a protective covering for other sensitive elements, such as transistors and the like, which are diagrammatically represented at 50, FIG. 2. As shown, the elements 50 may be secured to the panel board 45 under the inverted U- shaped part 22 of the housing 15.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a second modification of the invention is shown wherein a housing 55 is generally U- shaped and opens downwardly, as oriented in FIG. 3. Housing 55 is provided with inwardly facing shoulders or flanges 56 and 58 formed on legs 64 and 64B of the housing. The upper or bight portion 67 of the housing 55 and the anges 56 and 58 define a supporting envelope 65 extending throughout the length of the housing 55. The envelope 65 is of a diameter to accommodate the antenna to be positioned therein. An opening 62 along the length of the envelope 65 permits the lead wires of the antenna to be extended therethrough to the radio equipment. The legs 64 and 64A of the housing 55 are used to mount the housing 55 on the radio chassis or panel board, in the same manner as the legs 24 and 26 are used to mount housing 15.

The support clips 66 which are affixed to the legs 64 and 64A of housing S5 are shown as having their free portion 68A extending outwardly from the body of housing 55 and having their bottom portion 68 bent inwardly to be aligned to enter the respective apertures 44 in panel board 45, see FIG. 4. Each clip 66 will snap through the respective hole 44 and the outwardly extending free portion 68A will engage the sides of the aperture 44 and secure the housing 55 to the board 45. The clips 66 also serve the purpose of making electrical terminals for lead Wires 40 of the antenna 38 substantially in the same manner as described above in connection with FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 4 the ferrite core 36 and the winding 38 are completely enclosed, except at the ends thereof by housing 15. This second modification of the invention has the advantage that once the antenna is mounted within the housing 55, and the housing is afixed to a panel board 45, the antenna is completely protected around its full diameter.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a modification of the invention substantially like that shown in FIG. 1 is shown mounted on its side. There are many types of radio receivers which make use of antennas of the kind with which the present invention is adapted to be utilized. It is thus an added attribute of this invention that the housing can be mounted in several different positions for use in different types of radio receivers. As shown in FIG. 5, the ferrite core 36 with the winding 38 thereon is in a C-shaped housing 70 substantially like the housing 15 of FIG. 1 including an integral U-shaped portion 72 having legs 72a and 72b. The housing 70 is adapted, however, to be mounted on its side as compared to the mounting of housing 15. That is, the opening of the C-shaped housing 70 and one leg 72a are positioned adjacent the panel board 45. For purposes of securing the housing 70 to the panel board 45 suitable solder or friction clips 74, of which there may be one or more depending upon the use of a given antenna, are used to fasten the leg 72a to the panel board 45. As shown in FIG. 6 each clip 74 is formed as a shaped wire having a bight portion 74a received in an aperture 75 in the panel board 45 and having legs 74b, 74e` which are stapled to a leg 72a of the U-shaped portion 72 of housing 70.

An advantage of mounting the housing 70 as shown in FIG. 5 is that the housing 70 thus provides maximum protection for the antenna. It is obvious that the housing shown in FIG. 5 could also be mounted by rotation 180 so that the open side 76 of the housing 70 would be facing upwardly. The advantage of this latter type mounting is that the antenna can more readily be removed and replaced than if the mounting is as shown in FIG. 5.

The housing of FIG. 7 is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. l, except that the extrusion 80 provides friction-fit longitudinal beads S2 spaced substantially at relationship around the internal diameter of the C- shaped interior surface 81 of the housing 80. The beads 82 frictionally engage the winding 38 to retain the ferrite core 36 and the winding 38 comprising the antenna in position in the housing 80. The bottom portion of the structure 80 comprises an inverted U-shaped bottom 84 and is substantially identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the exception that the external configuration of the housing 80 of FIG. 7 includes a contoured outline to present a more pleasing appearance. The housing 80 may be subjected to heating adjacent the ends of the ferrite core to deform the housing sufficiently to heat seal the antenna into the housing.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show an extrusion 90 which is arranged to be formed in a rectangular interior configuration 92 when in use, and has substantially horizontal sides 94 and 95, a substantially arcuate top 96 and a split bottom 97 which permits the side legs 94 and 95 to be spread apart to receive a generally rectangular cross sectional ferrite core antenna. The bottom legs 98 of the extrusion extend outwardly and downwardly from sides 94 and 95. The clips 99, similar to the clips 66 of FIG. 3, secure the housing to a panel board 45 and al-so serve, if desired, as terminals to which the aerial may be connected as discussed above.

FIG. 8 shows the extrusion 90a as initially formed as a fiat extruded piece. The extrusion 90a -has a foldscore 100 substantially at its center for permitting the housing to be formed readily into the shape shown in FIG. 9. This modification of the invention is particularly suited for low-cost production. When the housing 90 of FIG. 9 is formed in a rectangular form from the at piece 90a, as shown in FIG. 8, there is a tendency for sides 94 and 95 to ex outwardly; clips 99, when inserted in the selected aperture of the panel board thus also yfunction to retain the housing 15 in its rectangular form. It is to be noted that an advantage of forming the housing 90 from a fiat extruded piece is that a at piece can conveniently be packaged and handled in its flat configuration, and thence when needed can be formed to receive an antenna.

The housing 90 of FIG. 9 can also be initially extruded in the desired rectangular configuration 90b, as shown in FIG. 10, and without a center score to achieve greater strength and rigidity.

FIG. 1l shows a further modification of the invention showing a housing 107 also arranged to receive a rectangular cross sectional antenna. The housing 107 is generally similar to the housing 90 of FIG. 9, but has a solid bottom 102 and a side opening 105 in one of its sides 109. The upper portion 108 of housing 107 is sufficiently flexible so that it can be bent upwardly to receive an antenna having a rectangular cross section. The antenna can be slipped through the temporarily widened opening 105 and received in the housing 107. The resilient tension of the upper portion 108 retains the antenna in position.

Method of making the core and housing In the manufacturing process, the housings, cut to suitable length, are preferably supplied in bulk adjacent the winding mechanism wherein the helical coils are wound upon the Iferrite cores 36. After the winding operation the coils 38 may be waxed, or otherwise suitably treated, or in some processes the waxing is accomplished during the winding operation. After being wound and waxed, each of the antenna may be inserted in its respective housing. For example, the upper end 20 of the housing 15 of FIG. 2 is flexed open to receive the antenna and then released to flex back to its initial position to frictionally support and retain the antenna. The antenna, thus protected by the polypropylene housing may be suitably racked and passed on for further handling, boxing and shipment to makers of radio equipment, for example. The

antenna within the housing can be handled, transported and even dropped without damage. Further, suitable connectors such as connector clips 32 of FIG. 1 can be subsequently secured to the housing without damage to the antenna. Note that the staples 34 holding the clips 32 are inserted in the legs 24 and 26 of the housing 15, at a position remote from the antenna. Further operations such as soldering the leads 40 to the clip terminals may next be conveniently performed. In soldering operation the housings shield the wax coated antenna from heat.

During all the various sub-assembly and assembly operations of the antenna, the possibility of damage to the fragile ferrite core and the wax coating on the antenna, and the antenna winding itself i-s reduced very significantly to thereby reduce losses in manufacture and effect a substantial savings in manufacturing and assembly costs.

While there has been shown and described in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention and method of making and using a housing for ferrite core antenna, obviously other modifications, configurations and methods of fabricating articles of the kind will voccur to those working in the art. Accordingly, it is desired not to be limited in this invention only to the specific ernbodirnents shown and described, but by the yspirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mounting member for an elongated ferrite core antenna, said mounting member comprising an elongated portion C-shaped in cross section for forming an enclosure about the antenna, said C-shaped portion being exibly operable from an initial position to an open position to receive the antenna, said C-shaped portion being effective to close by reflex to its initial position to frictionally secure and support the antenna, and said mounting member further including an inverted portion U- shaped in cross section, said U-shaped portion having a pair of legs and a bight, a part of said Cdshaped portion being contiguous with a part of said bight, and said legs being mountable on an associated surface support and being cooperable with said bight and said surface support to define a protective housing for other components which may be carried by lsaid surface support.

2. A mounting member for an elongated ferrite core antenna, said mounting member comprising a C-shaped portion in cross section for forming an enclosure about the antenna, said C-shaped portion being flexibly operable from an inital position to an open position to receive the antenna, said C-shaped portion being effective to close by reflex to its inital position to frictionally secure and support the antenna, and said mounting member further comprising a U-shaped portion in cross section, said U-shaped portion having a pair of legs and a bight, said C-shaped portion being positioned to have its opening formed in the bight of said U-shaped portion, and said legs being mountable on an associated surface support.

3. A mounting member as in claim 2 wherein clip means affix said legs to the surface support, and wherein said clips electrically couple the received antenna to associated circuitry.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS' 2,658,247 11/1953 Hauer 174-170 X 2,683,578 7/1954 Rainey 174-163 X 2,885,460 5/1959 Borresen et al. 174-97 X 2,979,554 4/ 1961 Maitland 174-138.5 3,154,281 10/1964 Frank 174-175 3,218,385 11/1965 Potruch 174-175 X 0 ELI LIEBERMAN, Primary Examiner.

HERMAN KARL SAALBACH, Examiner. M. NUSSBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MOUNTING MEMBER FOR AN ELONGATED FERRITE CORE ANTENNA, SAID MOUNTING MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PORTION C-SHAPED IN CROSS SECTION FOR FORMING AN ENCLOSURE ABOUT THE ANTENNA, SAID C-SHAPED PORTION BEING FLEXIBLY OPERABLE FROM AN INITIAL POSITION TO AN OPEN POSITION TO RECEIVE THE ANTENNA, SAID C-SHAPED PORTION BEING EFFECTIVE TO CLOSE BY REFLEX TO ITS INITIAL POSITION TO FRICTIONALLY SECURE AND SUPPORT THE ANTENNA, AND SAID MOUNTING MEMBER FURTHER INCLUDING AN INVERTED PORTION USHAPED IN CROSS SECTION, SAID U-SHAPED PORTION HAVING A PAIR OF LEGS AND A BIGHT, A PART OF SAID C-SHAPED PORTION BEING CONTIGUOUS WITH A PART OF SAID BIGHT, AND SAID LEGS BEING MOUNTABLE ON AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE SUPPORT AND BEING COOPERABLE WITH SAID BIGHT AND SAID SURFACE SUPPORT TO DEFINE A PROTECTIVE HOUSING FOR OTHER COMPONENTS WHICH MAY BE CARRIED BY SAID SURFACE SUPPORT. 